Fascinations Metal Earth Lighthouse 3D Metal Model Kit

My second Metal Earth model and it was an absolute blast!!! I spent about 2 hours on this one because I'm a perfectionist and also quite enjoy taking my time to make sure every curve and bend is as well-executed and planned as I can make it. If you have never done one of these before, PLEASE consider whether it's a good hobby for you before jumping the gun with a 3-sheet project with no tools besides some tweezers and expecting to slap it together in an hour (this is a common mistake I see in these reviews A LOT). First off, these are SMALL. Very small! For me, that is a HUGE pro because I love miniatures and the sheer amount of detail that goes into the etching on these is INSANE. They are so gorgeous to look at. On this model, I had to use precision tweezers for the lil windows to get em onto the tabs because the pieces themselves are just a few mms long. Awesome! But if you don't like tiny parts, maybe not so much for you, so consider that before picking one of these kits up. I think the cable car was a bit easier than this one for that reason, so maybe go for that one if you've never done one before. And please for the love of god have the proper tools before hand. I know the packaging is a bit misleading there in terms of selling the idea that these are quick and easy, but PLEASE at least get some wire cutters and pliers/tweezers before attempting these. Also, THESE. TAKE. TIME. If you aren't willing to spend 15 minutes on one step just to ensure you get the perfect curve/bend or make sure things align just right, then maybe look elsewhere. And these kits are the epitome of "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"—take your time, watch an assembly video, check out the 360° view off the Metal Earth site, and pay attention and you won't need to worry about breaking parts and having to try and super glue stuff back together. I'm new to this hobby and I'm sure I'll mess up eventually, but when I see so many reviews of (I'm guessing) impatient/clumsy people I can help but feel a little confused/irritated, because most of it seems pretty preventable if you do a little research beforehand.Anyway. Great kit, I think this one was also good for beginners, and I can't wait to start moving up to trickier kits!

Very easy to assemble. Built this one in a few minutes. Instructions on Metal Earth kits are not always accurate to what you get. This kit is so easy you may not need to look at the instructions more than once or twice. This is probably the only Metal Earth Kit that is not based on a real structure. It is a very generalized typical looking light house. Yet still, very detailed and cool looking. I installed an LED at the tip of the tower and hot glued the kit to a battery house. Both items can be purchased here on Amazon. Its a very easy mod that makes this kit look even better. Took less than an hour to complete!

This was my first purchase from the Metal Earth line up of 3D Metal Models and i can honestly say it was one of my favorite builds, the pieces are beautifully cut and extraordinarily well done, the model comes with an easy to read and easy to comprehend instruction sheet on how to put the model together, very minimal tools needed and literally zero experience required to accomplish this piece, i have it proudly displayed alongside other models that i have built over time and it sticks out like a sore thumb in a beautiful way, i will definitely be purchasing more models from this company. two thumbs way up from this happy customer.

Requires a precision tweezers a good magnifying glass and unlimited patience because the parts are miniscule. Too small to manipulate with my adult hands.

The Metal Earth models are extremely well engineered and manufactured, but there's quite a bit of negative reviews because people think their 9 year old can put them together, it's not going to happen. Don't listen to the haters, don't buy them for your kids.With patience, a jeweler's magnifying headset, some decent tools and good lighting any adult can assemble them if you take your time (sometimes a couple weeks depending on the skill level). Stick with top of the line tools from Wiha or Wera and get a couple pairs of small needle nose pliers (one with and one w/o teeth on the jaws), a couple types of tweezers, micro snips used for electronic assembly and a set of precision screwdrivers. Don't buy the crap tools that are advertised along with these model kits, you get what you pay for.I work many hours at a stressful job and I'd rather sit in a quiet room and work on these for a couple hours every few days after work then watch TV; it's very relaxing and I find I'm sleeping much better.You can do it and pat yourself on the back when you finish one and it looks awesome!

Fun little project. I added some LED lights and a base with battery holder and on/off switch. Really looks nice. Very simple to assemble but the instructions are actually a flow chart so be sure to study them a little before you start. Otherwise you may get something wrong, Need an exacto knife or some sprue cutters to remove the parts, Good set of tweezers or small needle nosed pliers for bending and shaping parts and to twist the locking tabs. Simple household items will help in shaping the curves and angles. Fun and easy to build and doesn't take a lot of time.

This was my first metal earth model, good starting off point. Got one for my brother later on too, we’re both in out late 20s and enjoyed them. This one is super easy but it helps doing one like this before doing a more complicated one. Mine is kinda messed up because I was thinking the tabs had to be hidden within so I was doing all kinds of stupid stuff to accomplish this; then I watched a video on YouTube and realized that you really do just follow the directions lol.

excellent lighthouse, but smaller that I expected. I did not expect assembly. this comes in a metal sheet; sort of like paper dolls. Ideal addition to my lighthouse collection if I ever have spare time. until then; it is a drawer display.